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3 Types of Skin Cancers - Characteristics And Treatment

If you are prone to sun burn and work in the sun a lot then it makes sense to get you skin checked out at least once a year by a professional. Skin cancer screening is a process where your skin is examined for any blemishes, marks or bumps that may be cancerous. It can identify potential problems early on and thus increase the chances of treating the disease effectively and without fuss. However, you should also examine your skin from time to time for any changes. In order to do this successfully you need to know a bit about skin cancer. This article will list the three types of skin cancer and their typical signs and treatment.

There are 3 types of skin cancers. The first two are the most commonly diagnosed types of the disease. They are also the most treatable because in most cases the disease does not spread but is localized to a particular part of the body. They are easily treated in most cases however on rare occasions they may spread making early diagnose all the more important.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed type of skin cancer. Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are a waxy bump on the skin. Other signs may be brown or flesh colored marks on the skin that may resembles an old scar. The carcinoma can appear anywhere on the body but is typically found on the face, neck, chest and back.

It is simple to treat basal cell carcinoma because it is generally benign, meaning that it will not spread to other parts of the body. This means it is safe to remove the bump or mark without it leading to other skin cancers. Removal can be done in a doctor's surgery. It involves administering a local anesthetic and cutting the carcinoma away.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is another common type of skin cancer and is generally treated in the same way as basal cell carcinoma. However, squamous cell carcinoma has a tendency to spread to other areas of the body, normally the surrounding tissue to the problem area.

Squamous cell carcinomas are noticeable as a red nodule or bump that can appear on the face, neck, hands or arms. On rare occasions it can appear on the lips or ears. The bump is generally firm to the touch. In more advanced stages it may appear as a scaly, crusty lesion that will appear where the bump used to be. Again, provided it has not spread it can be cut out or frozen.

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious of the three types of skin cancer. If it is left untreated it may spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes. This will increase the chances of it spreading throughout the body including vital organs. This will ultimately prove to be fatal unless treatment is started. Diagnosing melanoma early is the best chance of treating it successfully thus it is important that you get screened by a professional from time to time. Mention any lumps or unusual skin conditions that you may have noticed during self examination and let the professional examine them.

Being aware of the three types of skin cancer is important during self examination and can help alert you to any potential problems. However, when it comes to any disease, prevention is much better outcome than needing to treat it. Prevention of skin cancer involves covering up in the sun and avoiding exposure to other forms of ultra-violet radiation.

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For more information on the signs and symptoms of skin cancer visit symptomsofskincancer.net. The site covers skin cancer on the nose and popular sun creams. Click here to get your own unique version of this article.

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